LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                             February 5, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on
               State Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB129  by Brown, J.E. "Buster" (Relating to the
               regulation of geologists, geophysicists, and soil
               scientists; providing an administrative and a criminal
               penalty.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB129, As    *
*  Introduced:  positive impact of $0 through the biennium ending        *
*  August 31, 2001.                                                      *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2000                                   $0  *
          *       2001                                    0  *
          *       2002                                    0  *
          *       2003                                    0  *
          *       2004                                    0  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
**************************************************************************
*Fiscal        Probable         Probable Revenue    Change in Number of  *
* Year    Savings/(Cost) from Gain/(Loss) from New State Employees from  *
*         New - Geoscientists - Geoscientists Fund        FY 1999        *
*                Fund                                                    *
*  2000           $(1,200,000)           $1,200,000                 15.0 *
*  2001            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
*  2002            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
*  2003            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
*  2004            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
**************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would create a nine-member Board of Licensure for Geologists,
Geophysicists, and Soil Scientists.  The bill would allow the board to
adopt rules, administer exams, issue licenses, and perform other duties
to administer the provisions of the bill.

The bill would allow the board to set "reasonable and necessary" fees to
offset the expenses incurred in administering the provisions of the
bill.  The bill would create the Geoscientists Fund, a dedicated fund in
the state treasury.
  
  
Methodology
  
It is estimated that a staff of approximately 15 full-time equivalents
(FTEs) plus associated operating costs would be required to administer
the provisions of the bill.  This estimate is based on the assumption
that approximately 10,000 professionals in the field of geoscience would
apply for licensure.  It is assumed that the board would set fees at a
rate sufficient to cover the cost of administration.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller Of Pub Accts, 308   State Auditor's
                   Office
LBB Staff:         JK, SD, RT, CB